Anatomy of the spirit free ebook download

Early editions are now in the public domain, with several available in their entirety from a number of online sources such as Project Gutenberg. Because no original manuscript of the Anatomy has survived, later reprints have drawn more or less faithfully from the editions published during Burton's life. It has often been out of print, most notably between 16. Publication Д«urton was an obsessive rewriter of his work and published five revised and expanded editions of The Anatomy of Melancholy during his lifetime. In addition to the author's techniques, the Anatomy 's vast breadthВ вЂ“ addressing topics such as digestion, goblins, the geography of America, and others В вЂ“ make it a valuable contribution to multiple research disciplines. Both satirical and serious in tone, the Anatomy is 'vitalized by (Burton's) pervading humour', and Burton's digressive and inclusive style, often verging on a stream of consciousness, consistently informs and animates the text.

In his satirical preface to the reader, Burton's persona and pseudonym 'Democritus Junior' explains, 'I write of melancholy by being busy to avoid melancholy.' This is characteristic of the author's style, which often supersedes the book's strengths as a medical text or historical document as its main source of appeal to admirers. It is encyclopedic in its range and reference. In fact, the Anatomy uses melancholy as the lens through which all human emotion and thought may be scrutinized, and virtually the entire contents of a 17th-century library are marshalled into service of this goal. Although presented as a medical text, The Anatomy of Melancholy is as much a sui generis work of literature as it is a scientific or philosophical text, and Burton addresses far more than his stated subject. On its surface, the book is presented as a medical textbook in which Burton applies his vast and varied learning, in the scholastic manner, to the subject of melancholia (which includes, although it is not limited to, what is now termed clinical depression).

Anatomy of the spirit free ebook download